Museum Begins 4th Floor

Construction is currently underway at the Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights on its anticipated 4th floor.

Completion is planned for the winter of 2011, COLlive was told.

The featured permanent exhibition will be a ‘Tour through Jewish History’ telling the story of the Jewish People throughout history, beginning with Abraham until today’s age and beyond.

Here are the exciting and stimulating exhibits being created:

Patriarchs and Matriarchs

Travel back to Biblical times to experience history first hand. Visit Abraham’s tent and be a witness to his ten tests of faith. Draw buckets from a well to learn about Isaac and Rebecca. Play with nesting dolls representing Jacob’s twelve sons. Decorate Joseph’s unique coat of many colors.

Mount Sinai Experience

Relive some of the defining moments in Jewish history—the Exodus from Egypt and the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. Begin the Exodus experience by reading a cartoon about the Exodus story as it floats down the Nile River. Later, pass through the split waters of the Red Sea, and witness a dazzling display of sounds and lights as Moses receives the Ten Commandments. Breathtaking multi-media effects capture the magnitude and awe of this important event.

Temple and Tabernacle

Following instructions and a “blueprint” culled from the Torah, build a miniature model of the tabernacle (where the tablets of the Ten Commandments were stored) out of oversized building blocks. Sound the shofar to bring down the walls of Jericho, and play a high-tech version of King David’s harp. Peer into a scale model of the Holy Temple built in Jerusalem by King Solomon to see where all the rituals, rites and ceremonies of Jewish life were carried out and where many modern Jewish observances have their roots.

Land of Israel

Take a virtual tour of Israel, and find out why the land is so special to the Jewish people. Wander through a garden comprised of the seven species mentioned in the Bible. Play the exciting first fruits race and compete to bring the first fruits as offerings to the Temple.

Sages through the Ages

Find out what the Mishna and Talmud are and then explore the evolution of Jewish traditions and Biblical interpretation by getting to know seven great scholars and spiritual leaders – Hillel, Saadia HaGaon, Rashi (Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac), Maimonides (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon), Rabbi Isaac Ben Solomon Luria (the Ari), Rabbi Israel ben Eliezar (the Baal Shem Tov) and Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen Kagan (the Chafetz Chaim).

Jewish World Today

Return to the modern age to look at the vibrancy of Jewish life around the globe. A giant map presents audio and visual glimpses of various Jewish communities and their unique traditions. Visit a replica of the Western Wall in Jerusalem where you can have a “real-time” look at the holy site through a state-of-the-art web cam.

The Holocaust

Celebrate Jewish survival by learning true stories of bravery, devotion, and faith during the Holocaust. Hear about women in a concentration camp who made a menorah out of nine spoons, peer into the secret synagogue created in a basement in the ghetto and bear witness to other tales of hope.

One Good Deed

When visitors began their journey through the museum at the story of creation, they learned about the obligation to make the world a better place. At the conclusion of the tour, the hope for the ultimate redemption is shared. As a final project, each child will place a tile on a large, ongoing mosaic, clearly demonstrating how we are all part of the same world and are all responsible for our own small portion of it.

VIDEO: COLlive tours the new floor